A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the manufacture of hydrogen. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a cyclic technique wherein (i) elemental iron or cobalt is oxidized in an aqueous media with the corresponding production of hydrogen and (ii) the reduction of the iron or cobalt oxidation products with a carbonaceous reductant for subsequent reuse in the process.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Electrolytic cells having magnetic electrodes and/or means for supplying consumable metallic material to the electrode have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,952 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,015. Further, the reduction of iron ore or other oxygenated iron species with carbonaceous reducing agents is well-known. For example, iron ore granules have been contacted in a fluidized bed regime with reducing agents derived from petroleum oils. Examples of such operations are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,551,215 and 3,615,352. A moving bed scheme for the reduction of iron ore with coal is described in Japanese Kokai No. 47-31805. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,337 describes an electrolytic method for the production of hydrogen. In this patent, the inventor advocates a process for oxidizing an alkali sulfide in an electric cell to the corresponding alkali sulfate with the concurrent generation of hydrogen at the cathode. The alkali sulfate material is subsequently reduced to alkali sulfide by reaction of the sulfate with a carbonaceous material at elevated temperatures.